Enhance your Beauty at Valencia Plastic Surgery

Dr. Howard Hu founded Valencia Plastic Surgery in 2005, in the community he lives in and cherishes.  An initial founding philosophy of the practice was that Dr. Hu would perform all his own procedures, including all fillers and injectables.  However, as the practice flourished, patients would end up having to wait months to get injected by Dr. Hu, and he noticed that, understandably, some of his patients were going elsewhere to get their injections done; after all, if someone is trying to look good for an important event in a few weeks, they can’t wait months!  Dr. Hu knew he had to expand his practice and place his trust in other health care providers.  In 2014, Dr. Hu hired another wonderfully skilled artist to his practice, Trista Shakeridge, RN.  Trista has extensive experience and knowledge with cosmetic injectables, facial peels, laser skin resurfacing, and skin care products.  Her medical background is in facial plastic surgery and she has been treating patients in the Beverly Hills area as well as the Santa Clarita Valley for over a decade.  Trista takes a natural and personal approach while individualizing her care to each person, allowing her to best fit the needs of her patients.  Within a short time, Trista’s appointments became fully booked as well, so Dr. Hu decided to add another member to his team.  His newest practitioner, Suzzanne Pearce, RN, jointed the practice in 2016.  She also has extensive medical experience, having been a labor and delivery nurse for over a decade, as well as having a strong background in medical research.  Suzzanne is extremely knowledgeable about the various products used in aesthetic practices, as well as a strong understanding of the latest developments in laser skin resurfacing and skin care.  Patients are impressed with her thoroughness and attention to detail.
Truly a wonderful team—Dr. Hu, Trista Shakeridge, and Suzzanne Pearce use their vast knowledge of the face and body to help their patients understand what they can expect from each procedure.  With social media and the “selfie” driving so much of how people view themselves, Valencia Plastic Surgery has seen large growth in their non-surgical procedures.  Another growing trend Dr. Hu has noticed has been younger patients coming in to enhance their beauty.
“Our practice has noticed a shift in the procedures we are performing.  When I first started my practice, the majority of my time was spent on surgical procedures, but with the rise of social media and the ease of recovery, our non-surgical procedures are starting to see significant growth.  I also believe people are becoming more comfortable with the idea of cosmetic enhancements,” said Dr. Howard Hu.  Of the surgical procedures, Dr. Hu states that the most commonly performed procedures involve the breast (breast augmentation, breast lifts, breast reductions), followed by body contouring (tummy tucks, liposuction, arm and leg lifts) and facial procedures (rhinoplasties, eyelid surgeries, face and neck lifts).
One of quickest growing non-surgical cosmetic procedures is liposuction that is no longer performed in the operating room.  Liposuction has long been hailed as an ideal way to reduce fatty deposits in certain areas of the body. SmartLipo® is an advanced procedure that results in fewer side effects while remaining minimally invasive. It involves the use of laser beams to help break up fat cells and make them easier to remove.  Another major benefit of SmartLipo® is that it does not require any anesthesia, and therefore patients tend to recover faster.
Laser skin resurfacing has long been a mainstay of aesthetic practices.  The IKON laser used at Valencia Plastic Surgery treats a wide range of skin types to reduce the appearance of wrinkles, stretch marks, scarring, leg veins and photo damage. It also performs hair removal and skin rejuvenation.  SmartSkin® is an ablative carbon-dioxide laser that is very effective for skin rejuvenation and enhancement.   Botox® and Dysport® are both FDA-approved injectables that help to smooth lines and wrinkles on your face to diminish signs of aging.  Juvéderm®, Voluma®, Restylane®, Sculptra®, and Radiesse® are some of the fillers available that help by adding volume to obtain a more youthful appearance. It is designed to target your cheeks, making them appear fuller and more radiant. These procedures take less than 30 minutes to administer, do not require any incisions, and have minimal downtime.
With non-surgical procedures now offered in many different venues other than a doctor’s office, the staff at Valencia Plastic Surgery pride themselves on making every patient feel comfortable and relaxed in their office.  There is no sales pressure or gratuitous “add-ons”; patients are treated as patients, not clients, as these are still considered medical procedures.
Valencia Plastic Surgery is located at 26357 McBean Parkway, Suite 215 in Valencia.  You can call the office to schedule a consultation at 661-222-1122 as well as visit them online at www.ValenciaPlasticSurgery.com.

photo by Joie de Vivre photographie